• U.S. passport renewal can now be done online.
  
  

•  

  The Biden administration’s decision on Nippon’s bid for U.S. Steel has been pushed back to after the November election.
  
  

• Employers say many Gen Z workers are not prepared for the workplace.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut interest rates by 50 basis points, a bold move that suggests the central bank is confident the war against inflation is winding down.

Is the U.S. in store for a soft landing after fears the economy would overheat?

From The Hill’s Taylor Giorno: 

“The Fed incrementally increased interest rates from near zero in March 2022 to a range of 5.25 to 5.5 percent last July as it battled rising inflation, which peaked at 9.1 percent in June 2022. While rate hikes fueled recession concerns and layoff fears, a recession never came to pass and the unemployment rate maintained its lowest sub-4 percent streak since the 1960s.”

The new federal funds rate target is 4.75 percent to 5 percent. 

The Hill’s Tobias Burns reports on the five ways the rate cuts will impact workers and employers:

• Mortgage rates will come down.
• Auto loan rates should decrease.
• It could spur consumer spending, as it becomes less lucrative to save money.
• Employment conditions could improve.
• Low interest rates could support a new fiscal environment.

Congressional Republicans and some Democrats are fuming at what they see as the slow pace of investigations into the two assassination attempts on former President Trump.

The Secret Service foiled a second potential shooting Sunday. But some Senate Republicans note the upper chamber hasn’t held a public hearing on the shooting in Butler, Pa., from July.

“The Senate still refuses to do that. We had a classified hearing after the Butler, Pennsylvania time period where we had the opportunity to ask some questions. We need another hearing to be able to push and say what is the next step here to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” -Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) on Newsmax.

Even some Democrats have vented frustration at what they describe as a lack of details from the Department of Homeland Security.

“I am reaching the point of total outrage because the response from DHS has been totally lacking,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told reporters. “It’s tantamount to stonewalling.” 

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) says the bipartisan task force tackling the Butler shooting will also investigate the foiled shooting from Sunday.

Attorney General Merrick Garland has promised to “spare no resource” in investigating the assassination attempts, although The Wall Street Journal reports that additional charges against suspect Ryan Routh could be a challenge since the suspect never fired a shot or had Trump in his line of sight. Routh so far only faces charges on federal gun crimes.

Republicans are blaming Democratic rhetoric for the two attempts on Trump’s life.

“We all know Kamala Harris, her quotes, where she said quote Trump is a threat to our democracy and our fundamental freedoms. She said this over and over again. Not just before the first attempt, even after the first attempt on President Trump’s life … And then the second attempted shooter — he was regurgitating the same language as Kamala. So this is no longer a dog whistle, which it’s been on the left, it’s now being received by some unhinged people as a call to action.” — Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.).

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) blamed Trump for raising the temperature.

“I would suggest to Donald Trump, tone it down. Let’s have a debate on issues,” Sanders said on MSNBC.

Perspectives:

The Hill: Anti-Trumpers court trouble with rhetoric.

The New York Times: Trump, outrage and the modern era of political violence.

City Journal: Media says Trump made the shooters do it.

Read More:

• Trump praises Secret Service agent at golf course, but Butler ‘a very different story.’
• Republicans question proposal to boost Secret Service funding.
• GOP Rep. Luna says authorities investigating ‘very serious shooting threat’ against her.
• Trump told Secret Service more resources needed: adviser.
• Private messages reveal what the accused Trump gunman did in Ukraine.

“American presidential elections are too long,” by John Halpin for The Liberal Patriot.

“There’s less social media transparency and more disinformation,” by R. Gordon Rinderknecht for The Hill.

Wednesday

• Trump holds a campaign rally in Uniondale, N.Y., at 7 p.m.
• Harris holds a virtual campaign event with Oprah Winfrey and other guests at 8 p.m.

Thursday

• Harris campaigns in Michigan.